NEW YORK
G7 foreign ministers on Monday called on Iran to stop what they described as military support for Houthi forces in Yemen, warning that continued assistance could fuel further tensions in the region and put international shipping and global stability at risk.
In a statement released after a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States also condemned ongoing Houthi attacks in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia.
The ministers urged all sides to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region or interfere with maritime trade, which is vital to the global economy.
The G7 also called for an immediate halt to attacks by Iran and stressed the importance of protecting maritime routes and freedom of navigation, including through the Strait of Hormuz and other critical waterways.
“We call for the immediate and unconditional cessation of all attacks by the Iranian regime,” the ministers said in the statement.
They also reaffirmed “the importance of safeguarding maritime routes, and safety of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz and all associated critical waterways,” as well as the security of global supply chains and the stability of energy markets.
The ministers expressed support for countries facing attacks by Iran or Iranian-backed groups, saying they have the right to defend their territories and protect their citizens.
“We support the right of the countries unjustifiably attacked by Iran or by Iranian proxies to defend their territories and protect their citizens,” the statement said, while reaffirming support for their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The G7 further said Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and called on Tehran to halt its ballistic missile program and what it described as destabilizing activities in the region and around the world.
The group also condemned attacks in Iraq by Iran and Iranian militias against diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure and US and anti-ISIS (Daesh) coalition forces, particularly in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The G7 is an informal group made up of seven major industrialized nations — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. The group regularly meets to discuss major economic, security and international issues.
